Gas prices soar as holiday weekend approaches

"I don't want to talk about it, this is not a good situation we're in," said Benoit, a medical supplies delivery driver.

With gas prices pushed past the $3-a-gallon mark, businesses, town officials and weekend travelers are trying to deal with the cost of getting behind the wheel.

Every week, Benoit said, he is forced to pay more than $300 for gas as a delivery driver for Dynamex of Woburn. Benoit grudgingly bought $20 worth of gas for his red minivan at the Framingham Plaza Exxon station on the Mass. Pike.

"It's very frustrating," said Benoit, on his way to make a delivery in Marlborough. He is reimbursed by his company at 48.5 cents per mile, but the price still hurts.

Delivery drivers at Friendly Pizza in Framingham don't receive any reimbursement and use their own cars. Manager Jim Safain said he's been getting an earful lately.

"The drivers start complaining and asking for a higher salary," said Safain. "We have to figure out if we're making a profit with deliveries if we raise their salaries."

Hartford Street Pizza owner Mozie Qerqach is also unhappy with gas prices, but said he's not planning to raise prices on the menu.

"We're taking little hits here and there and just hoping the prices go down," said Qerqach, who has one car for all deliveries and doesn't require drivers to pay. "My customers have been loyal to me, so I'm not going to increase the price (of food)."

The average cost for regular unleaded gasoline in Massachusetts was $3.059 per gallon yesterday, up nine-tenths of a cent from Wednesday. This time last month the average was $2.77, and last year it was $2.97, according to AAA.

With prices substantially higher than in the past, town budgets are taking a hit.

Southborough spent $85,000 on gasoline in fiscal 2007, said Town Administrator Jean Kitchen. That bulk purchase accounts for official town vehicles, such as the police cars and fire trucks. For mileage reimbursement for town employees, Southborough pays the Internal Revenue Service's standard rate of 48.5 cents per mile.

Holliston set aside $97,600 in the fiscal 2007 budget for gasoline alone, and it also pays the federal rate for mileage reimbursement, said Town Administrator Paul LeBeau.

"We did significantly increase our budget because of rising gas prices," said LeBeau. "It's difficult to say next fiscal year how much gas will be."

Framingham reimburses 40 cents per mile for town employees, while Northborough currently pays 44.5 cents per mile, according to town officials. Westborough's 40 cent reimbursement is up 10 cents from last year.

When Jim Stone of Northborough was in the market for a new automobile three years ago, he decided to ditch his SUV and buy a sedan.

"I made that decision three years ago," said Stone, who drives a Saab. "It hasn't gotten to the point where (gas prices) are preventing me from going somewhere."

The current price of gas won't keep Framingham resident Victoria Felson from driving her kids to Cape Cod this Memorial Day weekend. Felson said her silver Mazda MPV minivan is OK on gas, but she does try to conserve.

"We try to car pool," said Felson. "I'm concerned there's no solution and there doesn't seem to be a ceiling."

When Karen Fisher of Medway drives her giant white Suburban, she keeps track of her miles. Fisher said it costs about $90 to fill up her SUV.

"We're feeling the crunch," said Fisher, who drove to Shoppers World in Framingham yesterday. Fisher said she could handle it if a fill-up cost around $60.

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